Shell
by crematosis
Summary: AU Albel and Fayt have lived in Airyglyph all their lives, but Fayt wants a vacation in Greeton. The trip is cut short when they are jailed. Fayt is miserable but Greeton has a special kind of torture for Albel. AlbelxFayt
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi all! It's been a long time since I've written a Star Ocean story…but I've had this story written for a long time and I've never got around to typing it up and I finally found it in one of my old notebooks. So, it's been waiting for me for a year at least. This is a really short story…it's only 4 chapters and I don't think it's my best work. But it is what it is. Finally I have something for you all!

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except my boyfriend. Hehehe.

Fayt Leingod had lived in Airyglyph all his life. He loved his country, but as a scientist's son, he wanted to visit the more technologically advanced country of Greeton. Fayt had encouraged Albel to accompany him. Albel Nox, the prospective captain of the Black Brigade was Fayt's best friend and lover. Fayt was lucky to be on Albel's good side. Albel had a tough and irritable exterior, but he cared for Fayt a lot. Albel's possessive and protective attitude meant that Fayt had easily convinced Albel to accompany him and keep him. Greeton soldiers easily recognized Albel, or Albel the Wicked as he was known on the battlefield. Both Fayt and Albel had been captured and put in prison. Fayt remained in his cell while Albel was being interrogated, which probably meant that Albel was being tortured for information. Fayt knew Albel would never divulge any Airyglyph secrets so the soldiers were probably just trying to wound Albel badly enough so that he wouldn't be able to fight any time soon.

Fayt paced nervously about his jail cell. He was desperately racking his brain for some way to keep Albel from killing him when he returned. At last, Fayt sighed and settled into the thin cot in the corner of his cell. He was worried sick about Albel, but there was nothing he could do. He strained, listening for Albel's voice, but he heard nothing. Fayt slumped forward dejectedly. All he could do was wait for Albel's' return and clean his wounds. Hopefully Albel would forgive him.

The hours passed by slowly. Fayt was alone and surrounded by silence. Greeton had a very large prison was very few occupied cells. None of the cells near Fayt contained any prisoners. Jail guards passed by his cell, not giving him a second glance. It was excruciatingly boring. Fayt would have fallen asleep hours ago if he weren't so worried about Albel.

Fayt was jerked out of his lethargy as a door slammed somewhere distantly. A faint scraping sound followed and Fayt eventually perceived the rattle of chains. Perhaps Fayt would acquire a neighbor in the next cell.

A low laugh echoed down the corridor. "The Wicked One isn't going to be trouble anymore. He's taken care of."

Fayt's heart raced and he gripped the bars of his cell. What were they talking about? Albel couldn't possibly be dead. He was too powerful for that. Anyone that tried to murder Albel was met with a slow painful death at Albel's sadistic hands. They didn't call him Albel the Wicked for nothing.

Albel had acquired his nickname early in childhood when he had shoved a wealthy city magistrate out of the way as he ran down the cobbled road. The magistrate had shouted after Albel, "You wicked child! You should respect your betters."

But Albel didn't really respect anyone, even as an adult. He didn't care how powerful or how notable a man was. Albel quickly established a reputation as a fearless warrior who would take on anyone. Soon, "bravery" was defined according to how long a man could stand before Albel without cowering in fright under Albel's' fierce, bloodthirsty gaze. Only the truly brave dared take him on. Albel was certainly a good warrior, but despite his reputation, he was far from immortal.

Fayt sighed and wrapped his arms around himself. If Albel was killed, it would be a huge blow to Airyglyph's military. Airyglyph's military power was due mostly to Albel. And Albel wasn't even involved in most of the fighting. Just knowing that Albel could arrive was usually enough to bring fear to Airyglyph's enemies. Would Airyglyph's morale plummet without Albel? And would Fayt be able to go on without his beloved friend? A tear slowly dripped on Fayt's cheek.

"Well, here you are, little crybaby," a guard sneered at Fayt. "You'll get company soon enough."

Fayt lifted his head and stared at the guard. "Who?"

'Why, you little friend of course." He laughed nastily and continued on his rounds.

Fayt let out a relieved sigh. So Albel was still alive. Maybe he was beaten within an inch of his life, but at least he was still alive. Fayt would never be able to forgive himself if Albel died.

The rattling of chains drew closer and three guards turned the corner, leading a prisoner who was wrapped in chains from head to toe. The procession moved slowly up to Fayt's cell. 'Here you are, princess," a jailer sneered. "Home sweet jail cell."

Fayt blinked in surprise as the chains were removed and the prisoner was shoved into the cell with Fayt. "Albel?"

"Uh-huh," the prisoner replied blandly.

Fayt stared at him in disbelief. He was certainly dressed in Albel's' bizarre skirt outfit and he certainly had Albel's two-toned hair and red yes. But he wasn't acting like Albel. The fiery red eyes were dull and Albel was slouching. The Albel Fayt knew would fight back instead of just giving up.

"What did you do to him?" Fayt demanded. "He's not himself."

The guard chuckled. "I like him this way. A lot less trouble for us. You're a well-behaved prisoner, but no cell would hold the Wicked One so we had to take care of him."

"But what did you do to him? Albel would never sit quietly, even if he was bleeding to death. He doesn't sit back and let people like you shove him around."

The guard's eyes twinkled with mischief. "It wasn't easy. We used some of our newest technology on him. Swords don't stand a chance against our machines. We just had to hold him down and clip this bitch collar on him."

Fayt pinked. "A what?"

The guard snickered. "Don't play dumb. I bet he chains you up too. You seem like the type to play pet to our little princess, here. I know Albel the Wicked doesn't readily play the bitch, so we're just helping him out. You should thank us." He laughed to himself as he locked the cell and sauntered back down the corridor.

Fayt sank to the ground with a cry of despair. Albel stood by listlessly, his eyes vacant. "I can't stand this," Fayt whispered. "Albel has to suffer a fate worse than death. And it's all my fault."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This is chapter 2…the halfway point in this story. I'm sorry the chapters are all so short, but that's how it is.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone….although I would like to have Albel and Fayt locked in my closet so I could have them with me all the time.

Over the next weeks, days in jail felt into a quiet routine. The jailers came by three times a day to bring them a small meal of a dry roll and a gristly piece of meat. A large bowl of water was left for them every morning that they had to share. Every five days, the guards took Albel into the hallway and fitted him with a new collar.

For Fayt, that was the hardest part. He hated to see what they were doing to Albel. The inside of the collar was fitted with sharp syringe tips to poke into Albel's veins and pump him full of whatever drug it was that was keeping him tranquil. Every time they slid off the collar, Fayt was horrified to see all the scars across Albel's neck. His old wounds were reopened as they wrenched the new collar into his neck, but Albel just stood there quietly and let them do it.

By the time Albel was pushed back into the cell, Fayt was a wreck. Albel just stood there awkwardly and watch Fayt collapse to the ground in a fit of disconsolate sobbing. The day of the collar change, Albel didn't really speak. He spoke only when spoken to, and usually in one-word replies. His movements were awkward and clumsy, far from the graceful warrior Fayt had once known. By the second day, Albel's clumsiness had faded and he was interacting with Fayt.

Fayt still didn't like how Albel was acting. Yes, Albel seemed happy, but he wasn't the same. Albel seemed perfectly content to lounge about in jail indefinitely. He didn't complain about his situation. He didn't curse the jailers and he didn't curse Fayt. The old Albel would have been furious. Fayt felt even worse about getting Albel captured since Albel wasn't blaming him. Albel was actually being nice to him, actually calling him by name instead of referring to him as "fool". Fayt couldn't accept such kindness from Albel after everything the jailers had done to him,

Albel didn't understand why Fayt was so miserable. "It's okay, Fayt," he said soothingly. "Have some lunch and then you'll feel better. I'll even share some of mine with you."

Fayt sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, I miss having you give me a hard time. You're too nice. You're not the man I love."

Albel blinked, looking slightly surprised. "You don't love me anymore? How sad."

"If it's so sad, why aren't you crying? Why aren't you yelling at me? Why aren't you beating the crap out of someone? You don't have any personality anymore. They took away your anger and left you with nothing."

Albel cocked his head to one side. "Do you want me to do those things?"

"I don't want you doing anything just to be agreeable. You have to actually want to it yourself." Tears were streaming down Fayt's face. "I want you, the old you."

Albel wrapped his arms around Fayt. "Don't cry. Everything will be fine."

"How long has it been?" Fayt whispered.

"It's been a month."

'A long month," Fayt muttered. "Doesn't anyone in Airyglyph want us back?"

"We're in jail," Albel reminded him. "They don't want to be put in jail with us."

"But don't they want to rescue us? Maybe they think I'm okay as long as you're with me." Fayt glared at Albel. "You're not even trying to get out."

Albel shrugged. "We were supposed to be gone three and a half weeks. No one will worry if we're a few days late."

Fayt sighed. "I guess I'm stuck with you but not you until then."

"That doesn't make sense, Fayt. I'm here. You haven't lost me."

"Yes I have. Don't you remember how you used to be? You've changed so much."

Albel blinked. "I was cruel to you and took pleasure in causing people pain. I don't feel that way anymore."

'Why?" Fayt challenged. "Why do you suddenly change how you are?"

Albel shrugged. "It doesn't feel like the right thing to do. I really don't need to bother people and try to make their lives miserable. Why should I fight when we'll be released eventually?"

"What if they don't release us?"

"They will," Albel said calmly. "If they were going to execute us, they probably would have already."

"Execution?!"

"They won't kill us," Albel said soothingly. "You should relax Fayt. There's no sense in being so uptight. We should make the most of the time we have together."

Fayt sighed. "It would be nice if things were different. We could have so much fun together. But now there's nothing to do but sit around and wait."

"Yes," Albel agreed. "We just have to wait."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I know this isn't the greatest story I've ever written…but just one reviewer? Come on people…we can do better than this. Although…I am grateful to have my one loyal reviewer. *waves* Thanks for sticking with it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone…or anything….but I would love to have Fayt's ability to explode on people that harass me. Take that!

It had been a month and a half since they had been captured. Albel was still being dragged out into the hallway to be drugged and be fitted with a new collar. Fayt watched week after week hopelessly as Albel remained calm and way too happy. However, there had been a slightly glitch in the proceedings that gave him a glimmer of hope.

That day, there was a significant change in Albel's behavior. It was early morning, the day he was due to have his collar changed. He was restless and agitated. He paced around his cell, complaining that his neck was itching. He started tugging on his collar.

For the first time, Fayt had hope. Albel was finally adjusting to whatever drugs they were giving him. He would be able to be his old self again for at least a little while before they drugged him again. Fayt's heart soared as Albel muttered about how the guards were going to pay for stuffing him in jail.

When the guard came by to bring breakfast, he noticed Albel's odd behavior. He dropped the trays of food and ran for backup. Three guards returned to haul Albel out into the hallway. Albel struggled against them, but they overpowered him and dragged him down the hallway out of sight.

Albel was returned to his cell an hour later, led in shackles. It was just like the first day. From what Fayt overheard from one of the guards, one of the syringes had broken. Albel wasn't getting the full dose so it was wearing off sooner. Just to be sure Albel wouldn't return to his murderous self, they had upped the dosage and they planned to change his collar every three days.

They shoved Albel back into his cell and shoved breakfast in after him. Albel stood listlessly, his face blank and expressionless.

Fayt waited for Albel to adjust to the new dosage and become the new kinder Albel. But it didn't happen. The cycle of collar change came and went. Albel still spoke only when spoken to and stood in the corner of the cell, staring blankly at the wall.

"Please," Fayt whispered. "Albel, I want you back. I want you here."

Albel turned and gazed at Fayt as if he was looking beyond him. "I am here," Albel said stiffly.

"No," Fayt said quietly. "You're not. I want you how you used to be."

"I can become what you want me to be."

"No, you can't." Fayt shook his head slowly. "Unless you want to be how you were, it's useless."

"I want to be what you want me to be."

Fayt burst into tears.

That night, Fayt cried himself to sleep while Albel curled up in his corner. When Fayt woke the next morning, he realized it wasn't a dream and he began sobbing again. Albel sat on the ground, staring off into space.

As the guard came by to bring breakfast, he heard Fayt wailing disconsolately. "Oh shut your mouth," the guard growled. "You're carrying on like we're torturing you."

Fayt grasped the bars of his cell and looked the guard right in the eye. "You are torturing me. Every second that Albel sits around in this stupor is like a kick in the face to me."

The guard grinned. "So, you two are lovers, eh?"

"Yes we are," Fayt said firmly. "And Apris help you if you don't give him back to me."

The guard snickered and shoved the trays of food under the door. "Oh, I'm so scared. What's a scrawny little kid like you gonna do to me? You wouldn't be a threat even out of that cell." He walked away, still laughing.

The guard felt suitably vindicated when he walked by at lunchtime and Fayt, who was still tightly clutching the cell bars, began pleading with him to take off Albel's collar. "Not so brave now, eh?" the guard sneered.

"Please," Fayt begged. "He won't be a burden to you. I'll take care of him. I'll make sure he doesn't' try to escape. It'll be a lot easier and cheaper than giving him so many drugs. If Albel and I are together, at least, we won't be any trouble to you. We'll wait patiently until we're released."

"And if we don't release you?" the guard challenged

Fayt shrugged. "Lifetime imprisonment can be endured with the one I love."

"He's right there with you, stupid boy."

"That's not Albel," Fayt snarled. "He's just an empty shell."

"Suit yourself," the guard muttered. He walked back down the hallway.

Fayt sighed heavily and he slid down the wall into a heap on the floor. He glanced over his shoulder and shuddered at Albel's vacant gaze. "Someone save us," Fayt whispered.

Albel lurched across the room, stumbling several times. He sat down heavily and began to eat mechanically.

Fayt's hands tightened into fists and he shook with anger. He jumped back to his feet and tightly gripped the bars. "I can't take this anymore!" Fayt hollered into the hallway. "I want Albel back. Someone help me. Bring Albel back!"

Fayt's anguished screams reached the guard station in the middle of the prison complex, where several guards were playing a card game. "That boy's carrying on again," one guard growled. "I need to shut his trap for good. I can't play with all this noise."

"Let him scream," an older guard advised. "He'll tire of it soon enough when no one comes."

Fayt's cries for help soon dissolved into hysterical, unintelligible shrieks. Just as the first guard made up his mind to go tell Fayt to keep it down, Fayt abruptly stopped screaming. Fayt's mouth snapped shut and his whole body went rigid. His eyes rolled back into his head and blue light shot out from his body.

The last thing Fayt saw before passing out was Albel staggering to one side, a chunk of collar dangling from his lacerated neck.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Well…this is the end. I told you it was short. And it's not very good, is it? :( I'm sorry all. At least I have something completed for a change.

Disclaimer: I don't own Albel and Fayt…if I did I wouldn't be working as a grocery clerk. God, I hate the supermarkets during the holidays.

When Fayt regained consciousness, he was lying on his back on the cold cement floor. Fayt stared up at the ceiling only to realize that there was no ceiling left. He was staring up at the faint light of the early morning sky.

Fayt's eyes flicked to the side. The walls were cracked and in most cases just a pile of rubble remained. The cell door remained upright, but only loosely hung from its hinges. Somewhere, Fayt's mind registered that this had been his work.

Fayt's vision was suddenly blocked by a large shadow. He looked up. Albel was standing over him, a frown on his face.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Albel demanded. "We could have been killed by all the debris." There was a faint gleam in his eye that told Fayt that even though Albel sounded angry, he was secretly impressed.

Fayt smiled contentedly at Albel's typically tough exterior. Silly Albel. He should be thanking Fayt for freeing him from the-

Fayt suddenly scrambled to his feet and joyfully threw his arms around Albel's neck. "Oh thank Apris! You're alright."

"Yes, yes. No thanks to you," Albel said good-naturedly.

Fayt buried his face in Albel's chest and sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Albel sighed and awkwardly patted Fayt's head. "Now you're concerned. Pull yourself together, fool. Your risky gamble didn't get us killed." He wiped at the blood on his neck and frowned. "You certainly came close. Try to take out only the enemy next time."

Fayt wiped at his eyes. "I'm sorry. You know I can't control it. It works only under extreme distress."

Albel raised an eyebrow. "Jail is extreme distress to you?"

Fayt let go of Albel and stepped back. "You wouldn't understand. You don't remember any of it. I thought you were gone. It was horrible."

"I can handle a little pain," Albel said arrogantly. "They can't expect to kill me so easily."

Fayt sighed. "Don' you remember what they did to you?"

Albel shrugged. "Not much. If they thought that was torture, they're much mistaken. They just shoved me around a little bit and knocked me out with something. Some soldiers they are if they have to drug a man to control him. But I felt kind of hazy for awhile and I snap out of it to find this damned hunk of metal around my neck."

Fayt smiled sadly. "You don't remember. I suffered while you were oblivious. They weren't torturing you. They were torturing me."

"What are you carrying on about, fool?"

"They've been keeping us here for months, drugging you to keep you calm."

Albel snorted in derision. "Bad idea. Don't the fools know that the body can become used to drugs and demand a higher dosage?"

"You did. You almost snapped out of it. But they increased your dosage. You were first too nice and then you weren't anything at all, just a shell."

Albel looked skeptical. "Too nice? You like me mean?"

Fayt nodded. "That's who you are. Albel the Wicked."

Albel snorted. "Don't give me that. You complain that I'm too hard on you."

"But you love me, right?"

Albel was caught off guard by the question. "Of course I do. Why do you ask such nonsense?"

Fayt smiled. "Even though you like to give me a hard time, I know you love me. I couldn't bear it when you stopped arguing with me, stopped loving me."

"Well, I love you now and I'll keep loving you until you can't walk tomorrow."

"Albel," Fayt complained. "Let's worry about that after we get out of here."

"Typical fool," Albel muttered. "You're still protesting about my cruelty." But his words held no real anger. He scooped Fayt into his arms and kicked down the cell door.

Fayt wrapped his arms around Albel's neck. "What about the guards?"

"You don't think I can take them?"

"No, it's just….I-I think I might have killed them."

'Let's hope so," Albel muttered darkly, his eyes gleaming with violence. 'Let's hope so for their sakes. Better a swift, painless death at your hands than a bloodletting at mine." He snickered.

Fayt sighed and wrapped his arms tighter around Albel's neck. "You won't let them take you from me again, right?"

Albel snorted. "Let them try. Even you can defend yourself. It will not happen again."

Fayt rested his head against Albel's chest, feeling safe in Albel's arms. "I saw a part of Greeton I didn't want to see and I almost lost you in the process. It was a stupid idea for a vacation."

"Of course it was," Albel said mercilessly. "Fools make foolish choices. Next time, we'll go where I pick."

"Oh yeah? Where would you go for a vacation?"

"Not far. Just to my bedroom."

"What?" Fayt spluttered. 'What kind of vacation is that?"

"The very best kind, my little fool. We haven't had sex in months and it's high time we did."

"But you weren't conscious. You can't be missing it." Fayt struggled in Albel's arms.

Albel grinned widely. "But you were conscious and you were missing me. You'll be nice and sensitive."

"Albel!' Fayt protested. "Put me down! You can't lock me in your room and make up for all the sex we've missed."

"I can and I will," Albel said cheerfully. "It'll be just like prison, but with the one you love."

The End


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